A rock-solid monopod

What it is: A monopod designed to hold an iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, iPod Touch or small digital camera that weighs less than 12.3 ounces. The mount expands to hold devices as much as 2.75 inches thick.

The good: Lightweight, extremely portable and steady as a rock is the best way to describe this smartphone video essential. I had been impressed with the iStabilizer's steadiness in shooting videos in museums and exploring cities, but the true test came in a pace car at the Indy 500 Race Track. The iStabilizer helped me capture two single-lap rides around the Indy track at 132 mph (in the front seat) and 135 mph (in the back seat). Several of my friends at the track wanted to take my iStabilizer home.

The bad: I wish the mount could accommodate a digital camera as large and as heavy as my Canon G10. Perhaps iStabilizer can develop an alternate mount to accommodate digital cameras that are larger than a pocket camera.